Capsule-unit house

ABSTRACT

A capsule-unit house comprising: structure assemblies arranged in series with a gap therebetween and each having a plurality of horizontal structure elements disposed one above another, and foldable supporting means for supporting said adjacent horizontal structure elements at ends thereof, said supporting means including wall members; and a filler filled in said gap so as to form vertical structure elements together with said supporting means, and a method of building such a capsule-unit house.

United States Patent [1 1 Hanaoka [451 Nov. 26, 1974 1 CAPSULE-UNITHOUSE [75] Inventor:

22 Filed: Feb. 2, 1973 21 App1.No.:329,095

Tadashi Hanaoka, Kawasaki, Japan [30] Foreign Application Priority DataFeb. 5, 1972 Japan 47-13504 Feb. 9, 1972 Japan 47-14169 Feb. 29, 1972Japan 47-21189 Dec. 29, 1972 Japan 48-1912 [52] US. Cl 52/79, 52/69,52/236, 52/426, 52/428, 52/745 [51] Int. Cl E04h l/04 [58] Field ofSearch 52/69, 70, 71, 79, 428, 52/743, 236, 425, 431, 426, 745; 220/6, 7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,418 3/1924 Walther220/7 1,640,065 8/1927 Blaw 2,972,430 2/1961 Johnson. 3,195,506 7/1965Bend 3,315,421 4/1967 Roy 52/71 X 3,331,170 7/1967 Lowe et al.... 52/236X 3,398,850 8/1968 Kennard t t. 220/1.5 X

3,514,910 6/1970 Comm t t t 52/79 3,570,698 3/1971 Doughertym. 220/7 X3,765,556 10/1973 Baer 220/7 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,484,7615/1967 France 52/70 138,249 4/1948 Australia........ 1,518,637 2/1968France 52/79 Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser Assistant Examiner-LeslieA. Braun 5 7] ABSTRACT A capsule-unit house comprising: structureassemblies arranged in series with a gap therebetween and each having aplurality of horizontal structure elements disposed one above another,and foldable supporting means for supporting said adjacent horizontalstructure elements at ends thereof, said supporting means including wallmembers; and a filler filled in said gap so as to form verticalstructure e1ements together with said supporting means, and a method ofbuilding such a capsule-unit house.

3 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEL REV 26 I974 SHEET 1 OF 5 PATENIEiiUVZBIBM SHEEI h 0F 5 F I G.

FIG. 14

FIG.

PATENTELRUVZBIBH 2 3,849,952

SHEET S0? 5 CAPSULE-UNIT HOUSE This invention relates to a capsule-unithouse and method of building same, and more particularly, to acapsule-unit house constructed by prefabricating foldable, compactstructure assemblies convenient for transportation and storage, carryingthese assemblies to the construction location in order to set up thedesired house in said location.

In recent years, a set-up building, commonly called a prefabricatedhouse, particularly a capsule-unit house, has been widely used. In thistype of house, its components, such as columns and panels, wereperformed in the factory and conveyed to the construction location so asto set up the desired house there.

There were, however, the serious drawbacks that a large assemblingmachine was required for assembling large components, that much laborand time were needed for such assembly, and that a wide open space inthe construction location was necessary to accommodate the components inlarge variety and in immense quantity.

There has been proposed an improved cell-unit house in which thestructural units were prefabricated in the factory and carried to theconstruction location in order to set up the desired building there.Indeed, considerable labor and time could be saved in assembling thecomponents. There were, however, the serious disadvantages that a largeassembling machine was required for setting up a multistory house andthat the transportation of large structural units was difficult andexpensive. In addition, a wide site was necessary for higher buildingefficiency because the massive units were wholly or partially placed inthe construction location.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a methodof building a capsule-unit house by joining together adjacent structureassemblies prefabricated in the factory and folded for easytransportation and storage by filling a filler in gaps between saidassemblies and a capsule-unit house built by said method.

In each structure assembly of the invention, two or more horizontalstructure elements are disposed one above another. The ends of thehorizontal structure elements are connected with the corresponding endsof those disposed right above by a plurality of structural shapeassemblies. Each structural shape assembly comprises an upper and alower structural shape. The upper end of the upper structural shape ispivoted to one end portion of the upper horizontal structure element;the lower end of the lower structural shape to one end portion of thelower horizontal structure element; and the upper end of the lowerstructural shape to the lower end of the upper structural shape, therebyto enable the structural shape assemblies to be folded. A locking meansis preferably mounted on a pivot of each assembly to fix the pivot whenthe assembly is vertically spread or straightened out.

The upper stuctural shapes of each assembly are embedded in a singlewall member to connect the ends of vertically adjacent two horizontalstructure elements on the same side. The lower structure shapes may alsobe embedded in another wall member. In this case, the structural shapeassemblies and wall members constitute supporting means. Alternatively,a wall member may be pivoted to either end of the upper or lowerhorizontal structure element so as to erect the wall members when thestructure assembly is unfolded. In this case the structural shapeassembly and/or the wall members constitute supporting means.

T he structure assemblies are mostly prefabricated in the factory by theprocesses described above and transported to the construction locationwith the supporting means folded. The horizontal structure elements arethen lifted by using a lift or the like to unfold the supporting meansand fixed by the locking means to prevent it from folding again and tocarry the horizontal structure elements and their associated supportingmeans. The unfolded structure assemblies are arranged in series with agap provided between the facing supporting means of the adjacentstructure assemblies. A semifluid solidifiable filler fixed on thesupporting means after solidification is filled in said gap. The fillerused is a filling material such as cement that can withstand a strongstress after solidifying. A vertical structure element is composed ofthe filler and supporting means as a single unit.

The present invention can be more fully understood from the followingdetailed description when taken in connection with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view showing a capsule-unit house according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating vertical structureelements;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation indicating a folded structure assembly;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing part of supporting means;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the supportingmeans of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a pivot sec tion of the upperhorizontal structure element and supporting means when the supportingmeans is folded;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view indicating an engagement of the upperhorizontal structure element and supporting means when said supportingmeans is unfolded;

FIG. 8 is a side view of FIG. 7;

. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view representing a pivot section of thesupporting means in the center;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an oblique view showing a pivot section of the supportingmeans and lower horizontal structure element;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view sketching a horizontal section of thevertical structure element in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of FIG. ll3;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation schematically showing the structure assemblywith its horizontal structure element lifted by a jack;

FIG. 16 is a side view schematically representing vertical structureelements in another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 17 is a side elevation illustrating a structure assembly of FIG. 16when folded.

Referring to FIG. 1, a structure assembly generally designated by 21comprises a plurality of horizontal structure elements disposed oneabove another and a pair of supporting means.

The horizontal structure. elements 22, 23 and 24 shown in thisembodiment consist of three sections: a lower or bottom horizontalstructure element 22, a midstory horizontal structure element 23, and anupper or top horizontal structure element 24 having the followingfunctions: the element 22 serves as the floor; the element 23 as theceiling (lower surface) and floor (upper surface); and the element 24 asceiling or roof.

It should be understood that a single-story house has a structureassembly with two horizontal structure elements and that a multistoryhouse has a structure assembly with the number of horizontal structureelements corresponding to the number of the stories.

The horizontal structure elements 22, 23 and 24 indicated in theembodiment are substantially rectangular members having strengthwithstanding heavy loads. The elements 22, 23 and 24 have legs 22c, 23cand 24c respectively in the lower end portion on either end. Preferablythese elements may be slabs prefabricated in the factory.

Supporting means 25 connects the equiside ends 22a and 23a, 23a and 24aof the horizontal structure elements 22 and 23, 23 and 24, respectively.Supporting means 26 couples the other equiside ends 22b and 23b, 23b and24b of the horizontal structure elements 22 and 23, 23 and 24,respectively. The supporting means 25 and 26 are of the sameconstruction.

- In view of the same structure of the supporting means 25 and 26, theformer only is described in detail for simplicity. The supporting means25 comprises an upper wall member 27 and a lower wall member 28 both ofwhich are small in thickness and rectangular in shape (FIGS. 1 to 3).The wall members 27, 28 preferably are made of cement. The supportingmeans 25 also comprises a plurality of structural shape assemblies 29arranged in parallel to one another. Each member 29 consists of an upperstructural shape 30 and a lower structural shape 31, as shown in FIGS. 1to 4. Each structural shape 30 or 31 is Z-shaped in section with flanges33 and 34 on both lateral sides. A plurality of openings 35 areperforated in a web 32. The structural shapes 30 and 31 preferably aremade of steel. The flange 34 of the structural shape 30 (or 31) isembedded in the wall member 27 (or 28) in such a manner that the web 32extends from the wall member 27 (or 28) at right angles thereto so as tocause the opening 35 and flange 33 to be exposed to the atmosphere. Theflanges 33 are substantially equidistantly separated from the wallmembers 27 and 28. The upper end portion 30a of the upper structuralshape 30 protrudes higher than the upper end of the upper wall member 27(FIGS. 6 to 8). A quadrant connecting portion 30b extending downwardfrom the lower end of the upper wall member 27 is formed on the lowerend portion of the upper structural shape 30 (FIGS. and 11). Aconnecting member 36 is implanted in the leg 230 of the upper horizontalstructure element 23 in the position corresponding to the upper endportion 30a of the upper structural shape 30 (FIGS. 6 to 8). The lowerend portion thereof 36a projects downward from the lower end of the leg230. The lower end portion 36a of the connecting member 36 and the upperend portion 30a of the corresponding upper structural shape 30 ispivoted to each other through a pivotal shaft 37 consisting of pin,bolt-nut assembly, or the like in the position right below the leg 23c.When the structural shape 30 and the member 36 are aligned as shown inFIG. 8 after the upper structural shape 30 rotates counterclockwise inFIG. 6 around the pivotal shaft 37 with respect to the connecting member36, the structural shape 30 and the member 36 overlap each other by 1,.The front side surface (right-hand side surface in FIG. 6) of the member36 abuts on the inner surface of the flange 33 of the structural shape30 so as not to permit the structural shape 30 to rotatecounterclockwise any longer. Through holes 38 and 39 to be in place whenunfolded are perforated in the lower end portion 36a of the member 36and in the upper end portion 36a of the structural shape 30 respectivelyso as to align each other when the structural shape 30 is unfolded (FIG.9). Locking means 40 consisting of pin, bolt-nut assembly, or the likeis inserted into the through holes 38 and 39 to prevent the pivotalmovement of the structural shape 30 with respect to the member 36.

The lower end portion 31a of the lower structural shape 31 protrudeslower than the lower end of the lower wall member 28 (FIG. 12), whilethe upper end portion thereof is provided with a quadrant connectingportion 31b extending upward from the upper end of the lower wall member28 (FIG. 11).

A connecting member 41 is implanted in the leg 220 of the lowerhorizontal structure element 22 in the position corresponding to thelower end portion 31a of the lower structure shape 31 (FIG. 12). Theupper end portion 41a of the connecting member 41 projects upward fromupper surface of the horizontal structure element 22. The upper endportion 41a of connecting member 41 and the lower end portion 31a of thecorresponding lower structural shape 31 are pivoted to each other in theposition right above the leg 220 through a pivotal shaft 42 consistingof pin, bolt-nut assembly, or the like. When the lower structural shape31 and the connecting member 41 are aligned as shown in FIG. 12, theyoverlap each other by and the front side surface of the member 41 abutson the inside surface of the flange 33 of the structural shape 31 so asnot to permit the structural shape 31 to rotate clockwise beyond theabutment with respect to the member 41 (FIG. 12). There are providedthrough holes 43 which are perforated in the upper end portion 31a ofthe structural shape 31 and in the upper portion 41a of the member 41respectively and which align each other when unfolded. When lockingmeans 44 consisting of pin, boltnut assembly or the like is insertedinto the through holes 43 after unfolding the structural shape 31, thepivotal movement between the member 41 and the structural shape 31 canbe prevented. The connecting portion 30b at the lower end of the upperstructural shape 30 and the connecting portion 31b of the upper endportion of the lower structural shape 31 are pivoted to each otherthrough a pivotal shaft 45 mounted in the expanded portions 300 and 31con the front end surface of said connecting portions 30b and 31b (FIGS.10 and 11). In unfolding the structural shapes 30 and 31 as shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, the connecting portions 30b and 31b overlap by 1 Underthis condition, the connecting portion 30b abuts on the inner surface ofthe flange 33 of the lower structural shape 31 so as not to permit theupper structural shape 30 to rotate counterclockwise beyond the abutmentwith respect to the lower structural shape 31 and so as not to allow thefurther clockwise rotation of the lower structural shape 31 with respectto the upper structural shape 30 (FIG.

11). After the structural members 30 and 31 are aligned with each other,locking means 47 consisting of pin, bolt-nut assembly, or the like isinserted into the holes 46 perforated in the connecting portions 30b and31b of the members 30 and 31 so as to be aligned with each other whenthe structural members 30 and 31 are straightened out thereby to preventthe relative motion between the members 30 and 31.

In the wall members 27 and 28, steel bars 48 are arranged horizontallyand in parallel to one another FIG. 5). The bars 48 act to reinforce thewall members 27 and 28 against the longitudinal tensile stress.

The structure assemblies 21 so constructed can previously bemass-produced in the factory. The assemblies 21 can thus be reduced involume by turning the structural shapes 30 and 31 about the pivotalshafts 37, 42 and 45 and folding the supporting means 25 and 26 at thecenter C thereof as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the structure assemblies 21are conveniently stored and transported.

The horizontal structure elements 23 and 24 are pushed up by liftingmeans 49, such as hydraulic jacks (FIG. to straighten out the supportingmeans 25 and 26 as shown in FIG. 4. After the upper and lower structuralshapes 30 and 31 are respectively aligned to the connecting members 36and 41 the locking means is inserted into the holes 38 and 39; thelocking means 47 into the holes 46; and the locking means 44 into theholes 43. The structural shape assemblies 29 or supporting means 25 and26 can thus be securely fixed to the horizontal structure elements 22,23 and 24 without being folded in the center.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the structure assemblies 21 thus erectedare arranged in series in such a manner that the supporting means 25 ofany one of the structure assemblies 21 and the supporting means 26 ofthe structure assembly 21 adjacent thereto face each other. Thesupporting means 25 and 26 are so separated from each other by L as toprovide a gap A therebetween.

The flange 34 of the structural shape assembly 29 (or upper and lowerstructural shape 30 or 31) of each of the structure assemblies 21 isinterposed between the outer surface of the upper and lower wall member27 and 28 of the adjacent structure assembly 21 and the flange 34 of thestructural shape assembly 29 thereof (or upper and lower structuralshapes 30 and 31). The gap A except for the upper opening is blocked bysheathing boards 50. From the upper opening, the gap A is filled with asemifluid filler 51, which, upon subsequent solidification, is fixed tothe supporting means 25 and 26 after solidification. Preferebly, thefiller 41 is cement. After solidification, the filler 51 and supportingmeans 25 and 26 Le, upper and lower wall members 27' and 28 andstructural shape assemblies 29 form strong vertical structure elements52 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Since the tiller 51 also fills in the openings 35perforated in the structural shapes 30 and 31, the tiller 51 is firmlyfixed to the structural shapes 30 and 31. The arrangement of flanges 34of the structural shapes 30 and 31 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 ensuresthat the filler is not broken easily even when a fairly strong forceexerts in the direction to separate any two adjacent structureassemblies. Fillers other than concrete may also be used, provided theyare fixedly attached to the supporting means 25 and 26 after beingsolidified and have a sufficient tensile strength.

When openings 26a for passage etc. are necessary in the verticalstructure elements 52, the gap A must be blocked with a sheathing boardor the like on the side adjacent to the opening 26a to prevent thefiller 51 from flowing into the opening 26a. A sheathing board a mayalso be separately disposed, facing the farthest end portion of thebuilding, as shown in FIG. 2, so as to fill in a gap B between thesupporting means 26 and the sheathing board 50a.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show another embodiment of the present invention.Throughout FIGS. 1 to 16, like numerals designate like parts. In thisembodiment, the structure assemblies 29 employ single wall members 53and 54 instead of those upper and lower wall members 27 and 28 of theprevious embodiment in which the flanges 34 of the structural assemblies29 are implanted. The upper end portion 53a of the wall member 53 ispivoted to the lower end surface of one leg 230 of the upper horizontalstructure element 23 by connecting means 55 such as a pin. The lower endportion 54a of the wall member 54 is pivoted to the upper end surface ofthe leg 23c of the lower horizontal structure element 22 diagonallyopposed to the lower end surface of the leg 230. When the supportingmeans 25 and 26 for the structure assemblies 21 are folded, the wallmembers 53 and 54 will be placed substantially horizontally as shown inFIG. 17. The wall members 53 and 54 can be erected as shown in FIG. 16by lifting the upper horizontal structure element 23 with a jack (notshown) as in FIG. 15. By the known connecting means (not shown), thelower end 53b of the wall member 53 may be fixed to the end of the lowerhorizontal structure element 22 or the lower structural shapes 31 andthe upper end 54b of the wall member 54 may also be fixed to the leg 230of the upper horizontal structure element 23 or the upper structuralshapes 30. The upper end 54b of the wall member 54 may also be pivotedto the lower surface of the leg 23c of the upper horizontal structureelement 23 instead of the lower end 54a of the wall member 54.

In the aforesaid two embodiments, strong vertical structure elements 52are formed by filling the gap A between the supporting means 25 and 26of any two adjacent structure assemblies 21 with the filler 15.Therefore, the supporting means 25 and 26 have only to have sufficientstrength to withstand deflection or breakdown due to the weight of theassemblies 21 when the supporting means 25 and 26 are locked by lockingmeans 411, 44 and 47. Accordingly, the supporting means 25 and 26 can belight in weight and simple in construction, as described above, thusproviding a light-weight structure assemblies 21. Since the verticalstructure elements 23 can serve concurrently as floor and ceiling, thecapsule-unit house of the invention, unlike the prior art prefabricatedhouse, need not fill in the open spaced with a filler, thus contributingmuch to the simplification of the assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. A capsule-unit housing comprising; a plurality of serially arrangedstructure assemblies each comprising; a plurality of horizontalstructure elements disposed one above another, and a pair of supportingmeans foldable at a center thereof; first and second connecting memberson the ends of the horizontal structure elements; said supporting meansincluding a plurality of parallel arranged structural shape assemblieseach comprising a lower structural shape having the lower end pivoted toone of said first connecting members on any one of the horizontalstructure elements and a first connecting portion provided on the upperend, and an upper structural shape having the upper end pivoted to saidsecond connecting member on the horizontal structure just above any oneof the horizontal structure elements and a second connecting portionprovided on the lower end and pivoted to said first connecting portionof the lower structural shape; each of said upper second holes, thirdholes bored through the second connecting members and the upper ends ofthe upper structural shapes pivoted thereto, and third pins insertedinto said third holes; and a filler filled between said supporting meansof the adjacent structure assemblies and fixed thereto.

2. A capsule-unit house as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of saidsupporting means further includes upper and lower wall members havingsaid first flanges of the upper and lower structural shapes embeddedtherein respectively so as to cause the second flanges thereof toproject equidistantly from said upper and lower wall members.

3. A capsule-unit house as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of saidstructural assemblies has wall members pivoted to said ends of thehorizontal structure ele-

1. A capsule-unit housing comprising; a plurality of serially arrangedstructure assemblies each comprising; a plurality of horizontalstructure elements disposed one above another, and a pair of supportingmeans foldable at a center thereof; first and second connecting memberson the ends of the horizontal structure elements; said supporting meansincluding a plurality of parallel arranged structural shape assemblieseach comprising a lower structural shape having the lower end pivoted toone of said first connecting members on any one of the horizontalstructure elements and a first connecting portion provided on the upperend, and an upper structural shape having the upper end pivoted to saidsecond connecting member on the horizontal structure just above any oneof the horizontal structure elements and a second connecting portionprovided on the lower end and pivoted to said first connecting portionof the lower structural shape; each of said upper and lower structuralshapes being provided on both lateral sides with first and secondflanges; locking means which comprises first holes bored through thefirst connecting members and the lower ends of the lower structuralshapes pivoted thereto, first pins inserted into said first holes,second holes bored through the first connecting portions of the lowerstructural shapes and the second connecting portions of the upperstructural shapes pivoted thereto, second pins inserted into said secondholes, third holes bored through the second connecting members and theupper ends of the upper structural shapes pivoted thereto, and thirdpins inserted into said third holes; and a filler filled between saidsupporting means of the adjacent structure assemblies and fixed thereto.2. A capsule-unit house as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of saidsupporting means further includes upper and lower wall members havingsaid first flanges of the upper and lower structural shapes embeddedtherein respectively so as to cause the second flanges thereof toproject equidistantly from said upper and lower wall members.
 3. Acapsule-unit house as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said structuralassemblies has wall members pivoted to said ends of the horizontalstructure elements.